Machines for forming shoe uppers



May 16, 1961 D. T. CARR MACHINES FOR FORMING SHOE UPPERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1959 Inventor Derrick T Carr" By his Attorney May 16, 1961 D. T. CARR MACHINES FOR FORMING SHOE UPPERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1959 May 16, 1961 D. T. CARR MACHINES FOR FORMING SHOE UPPERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 10, 1959 May 16, 1961 D. T. CARR 2,983,935

MACHINES FOR FORMING SHOE UPPERS Filed Sept. 10, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 16, 1961 MACHINES FOR FORMING SHOE UPPERS Derrick Talbert Carr, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery "Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 839,193

Claims priority, applicationG reat Britain Oct. 14, 1958 6 Claims. (Cl. 12-543) This invention relates to machines for forming the uppers of shoes, and is especially concerned with shaping the back parts of stitchdown shoes. While the invention is thus designed primarily to prepare the heel ends of such uppers for assembly with their soles, it is to be recognized that in various aspects application of the invention is not thus limited.

In order to facilitate proper performance of certain basic shoemaking operations after an upper is mounted on its last, such as pulling over and lasting, it is frequently highly desirable first to impart to the heel end of an upper while off the last the precise shape desired in the completed shoe. To this end, machines have been designed to mold the back parts of uppers, includinga flanging of the lower margins thereof, as disclosed for instance in United States Letters Patent No. 2,379,425, granted July 3, 1945, on anappli'cation of Rene E. Duplessis, and in a later Patent No. 2,694,821, granted November 23, 195'4,- on an applicationof Augustus D.-Willhauck.

Although the latter discloses a construction somewhat simpler than the former, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved machine of this general type which shall be of even more simplified construction and hence lessexpensive, but nevertheless capable of producingexact reproduction and permanent initial forming of an end of a shoe upper including its flanged margin. i

In accordance with the object just stated, the invention is hereinafter described as embodied in an illustrative machine provided with an inner composite heel form adapted to recive and support the heel end portion of an upper for a stitchdown shoe, and a pair of outer forming members arranged to close on the inner. form to clamp the heel end portion of the upper against a lower face of the inner form and exert pressure'on'the upper in the locality to be creased to form an outturned margin. As shown herein, a pair of flanging members initially occupy a closed position beneath the inner form and are opened widthwise as the inner and outer forming members are moved lengthwise of the upper to shape the outturn'ed margin, the flanging members thereupon being pressed against the work to provide better definition in the crease thus formed. The composite heel form or mold disclosed herein is of three 'coinplement'al parts, a forward portion being of material of low heat conductivity and an extreme heel end or molding portion of relatively high heat conductivity. The machine is further illustrated as being provided with a pair of side clamps arranged to cooperate with the opposite sides of the forward portion of the inner form to clamp the upper thereagainst as power means is operative relatively to move the heel forming parts lengthwise 'to tension and mold the heel end'of the upper on theextreme heel end part which is adapted to be appropriately heated.

The above an'd'other features of "the invention, together with various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be described with greater particularity with reference to an illustrative machine in which the invention is exemplified and in connection with the accompanying drawings thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a view in right-hand elevation, certain portions of the frame being broken away to reveal inner construction, the parts occupying their initial rest positions;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the upper portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l and showing the parts at a later stage of operation when outer forming members have moved inwardly; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through an expanded heel end form and showing cooperative flange forming parts at one stage of operation; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view in front elevation indicating the mounting of side pressing members shown in other views.

The illustrative machine has a main frame 10 supporting a head casting 12 (Figs. 1-3) in which inclined guideways are formed for mounting a slide 14 for movement rearwardly and upwardly. This slide, as shown in Fig. 3, has a recessed front portion adapted by means of a circular guideway formed therein to receive a pair of carriers 16 respectively supporting detachable outer-forming members 18. The latter are, by means subsequently explained, movable into and out of upper-engaging position about a focal point on an axis common to the members 18 and designated x in Fig. 3. For guiding the swinging of these forming members, each of the carriers 16 is formed with a pair of arcuate slots 20 receiving rolls 22 carried by the slide 14.

For closing the members 18, levels 24, 24 are respectively pivotally mounted on pins 26 which are fixed in the slide 14. Inner ends of the levers respectively have pin and slot connection with the carriers 16 at 28 (Fig. 3), and the outer ends are received in bearing slots respectively formed in parallel rods 30 disposed for endwise movement in bores in the casting '12. Headed end portions of the rods 30 are engaged, respectively, by compression springs 32 nested in enlarged portions of the bores,

the rod heads thus being urged against retaining shoulders 34 of the bores. Accordingly, the arrangement is such that upon forward movement of the slide 14 as hereinafter related, the upper lever 24 will be swung clockwise, as seen in Fig. 3, and the lower lever 24 will be swung counterclockwise on their pins 26 and hence the carriers 16 are caused to impart closing movements to the outer forming members 18.

For supporting the upper during shaping, the machine is provided with an inner composite heel form including a forward portion 36 (Figs. 3 and 6) preferably of a material having low heat conductivity (such as an epoxy resin with suitable filler) and a heel end extremity 38 of high heat conductivity. The portion 36 is fixedly mounted on a U-shaped plate 40 having a beveled outer wall with which the outer forming members 18 cooperate, as shown in Fig. 4, in the vicinity of a crease and an outspread flanged portion of the upper. For reasons later stated, the entire heel form is bodily movable lengthwise of the upper, i.e., parallel to the slide 14, and the heel end portion 38 is additionally movable lengthwise relatively to 2) journaled in the casting 12, the eccentric being carried by one end of a link 54 the other end of which is pivotally connected by an eccentric adjusting pin 56 to the lever 46. The pin 48 is so located that operation of the eccentric causes the lever 46 to reciprocate the inner heel form parts 36, 38 and the plate 40 in an operating path parallel to the plane of the slide 14.

The independent lengthwise movement of the form 38 away from the form 36 is automatically effected by a fluid pressure device 60 (Fig. 1). To this end, the form 38 threadedly receives a pair of parallel rods 62 (Figs. 2-5) slidably extending through bores formed longitudinally in the portion 36. Forward ends of these rods are secured to a crosspiece 64 a surface of which is engaged by a roll 66 carried in the upper end of a lever 68 pivoted on a pin 70 in the lever portion 44. The lower end of the lever 68 is connected by a link 72 to a vertically movable piston rod 74 of the device 60 which may be air-operated, its cylinder being secured to the lever 46. Admission of air under pressure to the cylinder is controlled in a cycle of operations by means of a cam secured on the shaft 52 and arranged to engage a spring-backed roll 76 (Fig. 2) of a valve 78. In order adjustably to limit the tension to be applied to the heel end of an upper, a stop screw 80 (Figs. 1

and 2) in the lever 46 is disposed to engage the lever 68 endwise. In order to facilitate molding of the upper as the heel end portion is under tension the extreme heel end form 38 is slotted to receive a heating element 82 carried by the bracket 42.

For shaping the marginal portion of the upper, which initially will extend downwardly beyond the lower face of the plate 40, the machine is provided with a pair of flange formers 84 (Figs. 3 and 4) that occupy a level just beneath that face of the plate 40. The formers 84 are swingable about an axis parallel to the axis x and open to perform, in cooperation with the lower faces of the outer formers 18, an outspreading or flange shaping of the upper as required in the making of stitchdown shoes. Accordingly, the formers 84 are detachably mounted in carrier arms 86 (Figs. 1 and 2) which extend one from a stem 88 (Fig. 2) and the other from a sleeve 90 concentric therewith and received in a bore formed in a boss 92 on the casting 12. By mechanism next to be explained, each of two operating links 94, the forward ends of which are pivotally connected to the respective flange formers 84, is actuated. The rearward ends of the links 94 are respectively connected to spaced yoke arms (one shown in Fig. 2) of a lever 96 fulcrumed in bearings 98 in the casting 12. The lower end of the lever 96 has pivotal connection with one end of a composite link 100 (Fig. 2) the forward end of which is connected with a sheave of an eccentric secured on the shaft 52. Closing and opening of the flange formers 84 are thus derived from rotation of the shaft 52, but their initial positions (i.e., the amount they are initially open) are determined by manual adjusting means as required. To this end, the composite link 100 has separate coaxial hollow portions which may be moved axially and hence are internally threaded to received spaced, oppositely threaded portions, respectively, of a screw 102. The latter is formed with a pinion 104 arranged to mesh with a circular rack 106 on one end of an adjusting rod 108 bracketed to the link 100. Accordingly, turning a handle 110 secured on the other end of the rod 108 changes the length of the link 100 and thereby modifies the opening between the flange formers 84. As later described, these formers are also movable heightwise at the proper time in a cycle to serve as presser members, and preferably are suitably heated by heating elements in the carrier arms 86.

For causing the outer forming members 18 to close and clamp an upper on the inner heel form against the beveled face of the plate 40 at the will of the operator, the slide 14 is pivotally connected at its forward end to .crossshaft 126 (Figs. 1 and 2).

4 parallel links 112 (one only shown in Figs. 1 and 2). The lower end portions of the latter are each mounted on a pin 114 (Fig. 1) carried by a link 116 which is supported by a pin 118 projecting from a casting 120 (Figs. 1 and 2) secured to the main frame 10. The parts initially are in their rest positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but manually controlled means, next to be explained, is provided for shifting the links 112 and hence the slide 14 forwardly, i.e., to the left as seen in Fig. 1. Integral with the links 112 are arms 122 respectively pivotally connected with corresponding ends of a pair of links 124 the other ends of which receive a For purposes later explained, a pair of links 128 (one only shown in Figs. 1 and 2) has its forward portions receiving eccentrics mounted on the shaft 52 and rearward end portions pivotally mounted on the cross shaft 126. This shaft is connected by a rod 129 to the rearward end of a treadle lever 130 (Fig. 1) fulcrumed' on a pin 132 carried by a pair of parallel links 134 fixedly secured to a bearing pin 136 journaled in the frame 10. An arm 138 secured at one end to the pin 136 is engaged at its other end by a spring-backed plunger 140. Accordingly, the arrangement is such that the first portion of the downward movement of a treadle 142 formed on the front of the lever 130, by reason of resistance to depression of the plunger 140, causes the lever 130 to pivot counterclockwise as seen in Fig. l on the pin 132 and hence the rod 128 is moved upwardly until the cross shaft 126 engages a stop 144 secured to the casting 12. Consequent shifting in the toggle relation of the links 124, 128 acting through the arms 122 moves the slide 14 forwardly to cause the members 18 to clamp the stock. An arm 146 secured to the pin 136 is connected at one end to a control rod 148 of a conventional clutch (not shown) preferably of the type providing an automatic dwell and coupled to a motor (not illustrated). When the stop 144 has arrested the shaft 128 and the operator is satistied with the manner in which the outer formers 18 embrace the heel end of the upper, further depression of the treadle 142 moves the links 134 counterclockwise, as seen in Fig. 1, against the resistance of the plunger 140, thus rocking the pin 136 and the arm 146 counterclockwise to trip the clutch and initiate a power cycle of the machine.

Referring to Fig. 1, the clutch serves to transmit power to a main shaft 150 which drives a cam shaft 152 journaled in the frame by means of a worm 154. By means of a sprocket 156 on the shaft 152 and an endless chain 158 on the sprocket and meshing with a sprocket 160 on the shaft 52 the latter is driven to operate the eccentrics thereon previously mentioned. It will accordingly be understood that as the eccentric associated with the links 128 moves the slide 14 forwardly under power to close the outer formers 18, the eccentric associated with the link 54 operates the lever 46 to shift the entire heel end form 36, 38 and 40 as a unit forwardly to a corresponding extent, the springs 32 yielding if need be to prevent biting of the upper by the formers 18. During this forward movement of the upper, and while it is clamped by the formers 18 and the plate 40, the flange formers 84 are swung outwardly by the action of the eccentric associated with the link 100 on the parts 96, 94, thus creasing and forming the outwardly flanged marginal portion of the upper around the heel end, as indicated in Fig. 3. The open and heated formers 84 are then, by mechanism next to be described, made to press and somewhat overmold" the outwardly spread margin against an undercut surface 162 (Fig. 4) of the formers 18.

For moving the formers 84 heightwise into flange pressing positions, a pair of toggle links 164, 166 (Fig. 1), having a knee pin 168, is actuated to straightened condition. Accordingly, a toggle operating slide 170 is connected at one end by a pin 172 to the link 164. The other end of the slide 170 is forked to ride on a bearing block 174 freely mounted on the shaft 152, and an intermediate portion of the slide 170 carries a roll 176 adapted to be received in a closed cam 178 (Fig. 1) mounted on the shaft 152. The lower end portion of the link 164 is pivotally connected to a plunger 180 slidable axially in a tubular portion ofthe casting 120, the plunger 180 being backed by a compression spring 182. The upper end portion of the link 166 is connected to a plunger 184 slidable coaxially with the plunger 180 in another tubular portion of the casting 120. Between the upper end of the plunger 184 and the sleeve 90 is a wedge 186 the position of which is adjustable by means of a hand lever (not shown) secured on a shaft 188. Accordingly, the heightwise position of the sleeve, and hence of the formers 84, may be varied to accommodate uppers of different thick ness. When the cam 178 straightens the toggle 164, 166 the formers 84 exert pressure on the flange of the upper according to the degree of compression of the spring 182, this being adjustable by turning a sleeve 190 (Fig. 1) threaded into the casting 120 and bearing endwise on the spring. A

In order to mold the heel end of the upper while it is under lengthwise tension shaping it over the heated form 38, which preferably is of metal, a pair of side clamps 19 1,92 (Figs. 3 and 5) cooperates with the relatively stationary nonheated inner form 36. These clamps have their inner faces lined with rubber or the like to avoid marring the upper and the faces corresponding in curvature with that of the adjacent contour of the form 36. The clamps are each pivotally suspended from a pin 194 (Fig. 5) carried by a bracket 196 secured to the slide 14. In order to provide ample space for mounting the upper on the heel end support form 36, 38, a tension spring 198 connects each bracket 196 to its adjacent clamp 192. For yieldingly forcing the clamps into work engaging positions at the proper time, the following mechanism is operative. Each bracket 196 is bored widthwise of the machine slidably to receive a plunger 200, an inner endof which acts on an outer surface of its adjacent clamp. An outer portion of the respective plungers 200 is slotted to receive a rounded end of an arm 202 secured to a stud 204 which is journaled in the forward end portion of a link 206. The rearward ends of the links 206 are pivotally mounted on studs'208 respectively projecting from the slide 14. Also secured to the studs 204 are actuating arms 210. For finally forcing the clamps 192 inwardly, the rearward ends of the arms 210 are disposed to be spread apart simultaneously by a fluid pressure operated cylinder 212, opposed pistons therein having piston rods 214 thus effective on the arms against resistance of a tension spring 216 (Fig. 3) connecting them. For determining the initial open positions of the clamps 192, a return tension spring 218, connecting the respective links 206 to the frame 12, urges the arms 210 outwardly against the stop blocks 220 secured to the frame 12. An inclined surface 222 (Fig. 3) of each of the blocks 220 is disposed, during initial forward movement of the slide 14 for closing the outer formers 18 to the position indicated in Fig. 3, to engage a boss 224 on the link 206 to move the latter, and hence a clamp 192, into initial clamping relation to the upper. For automatically admitting air under pressure to the cylinder 212 between its pistons, and thus clamping the upper firmly against the form 36 as the heel end is about to be moved lengthwise, a valve 226 (Fig. 2) is operated by a cam 228 secured on the shaft 52. During this clamping of the upper, the form 36, being a relatively poor conductor of heat, has a surface temperature not likely to damage the upper.

In operating the illustrative machine, the heel end portion of a stitchdown upper is first mounted on the heel support form 36, 38, the heightwise position of the upper being determined by engagement of its lower edge with horizontal upper faces of the flange formers 84. Pulling the upper forwardly against the plate 40,

the operator will next depress the treadle 142. As above explained, the wiper-like outer forming members 18 are thereupon caused to embrace and clamp the upper against the plate 40, and the last part of the treadle depression initiates the power cycle of operations of the machine. In this cycle, the members 18 conform the upper firmly yet yieldingly against the inner form 36, 38 as well as the plate 40, the members 18 moving forwardly as the flange formers 84 are swung open, as above stated, to crease and form the heel end flange. 'Ihe flange formers 84 are then forced upwardly by the cam-straightened toggle 164, 166 against the surface 162 (Fig. 4) of the outer formers. In this stage of the cycle the clamps 192 are caused, by the admission of air to the cylinder 212, firmly to press the upper against opposite sides of the heel form 36, and thereupon air under pressure is admitted automatically to the device 60 to force the heated heel form 38 lengthwise from the form 36 and from the plate 40. The heel end of the upper is thus tensioned lengthwise and molded, the clutch permitting the machine to come to rest with the upper and its flange under molding stress. After the desired dwell in this condition, the operator will again trip the clutch to cause the parts, except possibly the form '38, to return to their starting positions, whereupon the molded upper may be removed from the machine. The form 38 is, of course, easily returned to its starting position, if necessary, by pulling forwardly on the upper as it is removed. Having now received its proper heel end contour, this upper may be readily mounted on its last with correct fit and the subsequent shoemaking operations performed with more ease and greater assurance of a uniform and properly formed product.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for shaping the end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with inner and outer upper shaping molds, of marginal flange forming means cooperative therewith, the inner mold including a first portion remote from the end portion of an upper thereon and a relatively movable, heated second portion of higher heat conductivity than the first for forming said end portion, and means for clamping the upper against opposite sides of the first portion while the second portion is relatively movable lengthwise to tension and mold the end portion of the upper with heat.

2. In a machine for shaping the end portions of shoe uppers, a movable work support including an end form of high heat conductivity and a complemental form of relatively low heat conductivity, means for heating the end form, outer formers movable to embrace and close on an end of an upper on the work support, a pair of flange formers disposed to be opened beneath the outer formers as the latter close to form an outspread marginal flange in the upper about its end, means operative to clamp the upper against the complemental form While the flange formers cooperate with the outer formers to mold said outspread flange, and means automatically operative to tension and form the end of the upper by relative lengthwise movement of the end form.

3. In a machine for operating on the back parts of shoe uppers, a composite heel end form for supporting an upper, the form being shaped substantially like the heel portion of a last and including complemental portions, a heel end one of which has a relatively higher heat conductivity and is relatively movable lengthwise from a forward portion, means for heating the heel end portion, a pair of outside formers closable about the heel end form yielding to clamp one portion of a margin of the upper thereagainst, a pair of flange formers adapted to be opened as the outside formers close to crease and form an outside flange of the remaining portion of the margin,

a pair of clamping members respectively adapted to clamp the upper against opposite sides of the forward portion 7 V of the heel end form, and fluid pressure operated means for thus operating the clamping members and then rela tively moving the heel end portion of the heel end form lengthwise of its forward portion to tension and mold the back part of the upper.

4. In a machine for operating on the back parts of shoe uppers, a frame, a slide reciprocable thereon and having a recess for receiving a heel end support, said support including a heel end portion and a complemental forward portion, outer forming members operatively connected to the slide and arranged to cooperate with the support, flange forming means disposed to cooperate with the outer forming members, manual control means operative to move the slide in one direction for actuating the outside formers, and power means responsive to further operation of the manual control means for operating the flange forming means and then relatively moving the forward portion and the heel end portion of the support lengthwise to mold the upper.

5. In a machine for operating on the back parts of shoe uppers, a frame, a slide movable thereon, a heel end support disposed for movement parallel and adjacent to the slide, said support including a forward portion of low heat conductivity and a heel end portion of high heat conductivity, said heel end portion being adapted to re 25 ceive a heating element, outer forming members operatively connected to the slide and arranged to a cooperate with the support, means carried by the slide for clamping the upper on the support against its forward portion only,

V 8 fluid pressure means for operating said clamping means and then relatively moving said heel end portion lengthwise, manual control means for initially causing the outside formers to embrace the upper upon the support, and means responsive to further operation of the manual control means for operating the fluid pressure means.

6. In a machine for operating on the back parts of shoe uppers, inner and outer forms for shaping an upper, the inner form comprising complemental heel end portions of different heat conductivity which are bodily and relatively movable lengthwise of the upper thereon, that portion of higher heat conductivity being formed to receive a heating element, a pair of clamps movable toward and from opposite sides of that heel end portion having lower heat conductivity, manually controlled means for initially causing the outer forms to embrace the inner forms, and power means operable in response to actuation of the manual control means for sequentially operating the clamps and then relatively moving the heel end 20 portions lengthwise to tension and mold the shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,274,063 Hazelton Feb. 24, 1942 2,379,425 Decplessis July 3, 1945 2,694,821 Willhauck Nov. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,785 Great Britain of 1884 

